Policy and Schemes

The Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) recently recommendated imposing anrti-dumping duty against the improts of Chinese and Vietnamese solar glasses due to their alleged ultra low pries. The Indian solar glass makers were demanding sucgh duties to safeguard their interests. Now with the imposition of anti-dumping duties, the foreing import below a threshold minimum price cannot enter the Indian solar market. This can ensure a level playting field for the Indian solar glass makers who were find it tough to comete with the the ultra low prices of Chinese solar glass makers.

If you want to undertake rooftop solar business, you need to register with the discom (electricity distribution company) where you want to operate. As per the PM Surya Ghar scheme norms, only the registered solar vendors can undertake residential rooftop solar installations. The consumers can get subsidies for rooftop solar projects under the PM Surya Ghar scheme only if they get their installations done by registered vendors only. The National Rooftop Portal maintains a list of all the registered solar vendors who are undertaking these installations. For getting registered with the local discom, these companies also need to pay annual fees to them to get their registrations done.

To boost the integration of solar power with the Indian grid, the Indian government is promoting on-grid rooftop solar through PM Surya Ghar where special subsidies are given to promote consumers to install rooftop solar. In this system, the surplus (unused) solar power from these systems are injected into the grid. In case of large solar projects, these large amount of solar power are injected into the grid to make the grid more green. Large scale solar projects has also made solar power cheaper than power coming from polluting sources like coal.

Under PM Surya Ghar, the govt gives upto Rs 78.000 for a 3KW rooftop solar system and upto Rs 30,000 per Kw for systems below 3 KW. For those going above 3 Kw there are no additional subsidies as the benefits are capped upto 3 KW. In addition to the central subsdies, you get additional subsidies from states too. Check out your additional state subsidies from your local discom or energy department.